United kingdom is a state that is made up of the four separate first world countries : England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Each country has distinct regions, each with large cosmopolitan cities, towns, historic counties and countryside villages.
In addition to world class academic excellence, there is much more to do in the U.K as a student. There are many tourist attractions in the U.K that considered monumental and historical, such as Big Ben and the Tower of London. Students who are more on to the adventurous side of things can journey through the vibrant national parks, climb UK’s highest peak or relax on some of the best beaches in Sussex, Cornwall or Kent when the temperature rises. There is something to do for anyone and everyone depending on where their interests lie. Many people enjoy a walk through some of the free museums, Italian styled villages and castles or indulge in the world famous Fish and Chips.
UK has always been one of the most popular countries for Malaysian students. In the year 2017 and 2018, according to official international enrollment statistics, there were almost 15, 000 Malaysian students attending universities in the UK. Let’s look at why UK is such a popular destination for international students?
Why study in the UK?
1. World class education
The UK offers a wide array of well-reputed universities and is famous for its undoubtedly high reputation for academic excellence. Students holding a British degree will have a competitive edge in the field of employment, regardless of which country you aim to work in. The U.K is the second most popular destination for international students, with over a million overseas students enrolled annually.
Some of the UK’s famous universities have been ranked as the best in the world consistently.
Top universities to study in the UK
- University of Oxford
- Imperial College London
- Queen’s University Belfast
- University of Liverpool
- Loughborough University
- University of Hull
Studying in University of Oxford
History and Campuses
The University of Oxford is the oldest University in the UK. It is so ancient that its date of establishment is unknown. It is thought to have started its teachings as early as the 11th Century. There are approximately 100 major academic departments, overseen by four academic divisions: Humanities, Medical Sciences, Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences and Social Sciences.
The university does not have a main campus, instead its facilities, colleges and buildings are scattered around the city center.
There are roughly around 24,000 students enrolling annually, out of which 11,390 of them are undergraduate students. Around 43% of the student population are international students, that is about 11,000 students from 140 countries. This makes it the city with the youngest population in the UK.
University of Oxford Rankings
Oxford is consistently ranked in the top 10 universities in the world and has a friendly rivalry with University of Cambridge for the number 1 university in the UK. As of 2019, Oxford is ranked 1st in the UK and 4th globally. As one of the leading education providers of the world, there are many subjects that are the world’s highest ranked:
- Arts and Humanities – 1st
- English Language and Literature – 1st
- Anthropology – 1st
- Law – 2nd
- Medicine – 2nd
- Psychology – 3rd
- Chemical Engineering – 6th
- Mechanical Engineering – 8th
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Fine Arts | 3 Years (Full time) | £30,030 |
Bachelor of Arts in Jurisprudence [Equivalent to LLB] | 3 Years or 4 Years (One year abroad) (Full time) | £27,285 |
Bachelor of Medicine | 3 Years (Full time) | £34,025 |
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology | 3 Years (Full time) | £28,330 |
If you are interested to know more about studying in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Studying in Imperial College London
History and Campuses
Imperial College is a one of kind public research institutions that focuses solely on Engineering, Medicine, Business and Science. It was established in 1907The education offered by Imperial is research-led, therefore, exposing students to real world challenges and opportunities to work across multicultural and multinational teams.
The main campus is located in South Kensington and 3 other campuses situated around the area.
Imperial College London Rankings
Imperial is ranked 4th in the UK and 9th in the world according to QS World University Ranking 2020:
Imperial includes many world ranked subjects such as;
- Civil Engineering – 6th
- Environmental studies – 9th
- Medicine – 12th
- Computer Science and Information Systems – 15th
- Business and Management studies – 30th
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Master in Civil Engineering | 4 Years (Full time) | £31,750 |
Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Environmental Biology | 3 Years (Full time) | £33,000 |
Bachelor of Medicine (MBBS) | 6 Years (Full time) | £44,000 |
Bachelor of Engineering in Computing | 3 Years (Full time) | £31,750 |
If you are interested to know more about studying in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Studying in Queen’s University Belfast
History and Campuses
Queen’s is a public research university which was granted university status in 1908. Its main campus is located in Belfast city centre and is associated with 2 university colleges; St Mary’s and Stranmilis.
Queen’s offers around 300 academic degree programs in various levels. Queen’s currently has over 2,600 international students from 85 different countries.
Queen’s University Belfast Rankings
Queen’s University is ranked in the Top 200 universities in the world and is highly regarded across the globe as a centre of teaching excellence and innovative search.
Some of the top ranked subjects taught are;
- Nursing – 51-100
- Pharmacy and Pharmacology – 51-100
- Performing Arts – 51-100
- English Language and Literacy – 51-100
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Science in Nursing | 3 Years (Full time) | £16,900 |
Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences | 3 Years (Full time) | £20,800 |
If you are interested to know more about studying in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Studying in University of Liverpool
History and Campuses
The University is a public university established in 1881 and located in the city of Liverpool. The campus is based around a single urban campus approximately five minutes from the City Centre. There are three faculties: Health and Life Sciences, Humanities and Social Sciences and Science and Engineering.
There are approximately 22,000 students on campus, including 7,700 international students. The university offers over 400 Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses.
University of Liverpool Rankings
The university is consistently ranked in the Top 2% of universities worldwide. They also offer subjects ranked in the top 100 in the world:
- Veterinary Sciences – 9th
- Engineering (Mining and Minerals) – 49th
- Architecture – 51-100
- Pharmacy – 51-100
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Arts in Architecture (Honours) | 3 Years (Full time) | £21,200 |
Bachelor of Veterinary Science | 5 Years (Full time) | £34,550 |
Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honours) | 3 Years (Full time) | £21,300 |
Bachelor of Arts in Business Management (Honours) | 3 Years (Full time) | £17,800 |
If you are interested to know more about studying in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Studying in Loughborough University
History and Campuses
Loughborough University is located on a 440 acre single-site campus. It is a public research university established in 1966. However, the institution dates back to 1909 when a small Technical Institute was established in the center of Loughborough. They have over 17,000 students and staff from over 90 countries to provide a strong sense of community.
University of Loughborough Rankings
The university is currently ranked in the top 2% of universities worldwide and 30th in the U.K. Let’s take a look at a few of the major accolades:
a. Awarded University of the year in 2018 by Whatuni Student Choice Awards
b. Best sporting university in the world – Global 2019 QS higher education league table.
c. Britain’s Top University for quality of student life – Lloyds Bank survey
The university also teaches some of the world’s top ranked subjects:
- Sports-related subjects – 1st
- Library and Information Management – 9th
- Art and Design – 28th
- Communication and Media Studies – 49th
- Architecture – 51-100
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Science in Sports Management (Honours) | 3 Years (Full time) | £18,650 |
Bachelor of Science in Computer Management (Honours) | 3 Years (Full time) | £23,100 |
Bachelor of Science in Media and Communication (Honours) | 3 Years (Full time) | £18,650 |
Bachelor of Architecture | 4 Years (Full time) | £23,100 |
If you are interested to know more about studying in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Studying in University of Hull
History and Campuses
University of Hull is a public research university founded in 1927 as University College Hull. Its main campus is located in Hull and is hoe to the Hull York Medical School. It is England’s 14th oldest university and has over 16,000 students including around 3,000 International students. The institution is divided into 4 faculties: Arts, Cultures and Education, Business,Law and Politics, Health Sciences, and Science and Engineering.
University of Hull Rankings
The university is ranked in the Top 6% worldwide and is placed 54th in the UK. Some of their subject offerings are ranked in the top 3%-6% in the world, such as Medicine, Chemistry, and Business and Management studies.
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Science in Chemistry (Honours) | 3 Years (Full time) | £17,200 |
Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery Medicine (MBBS) | 5 Years (Full time) | £33,700 |
If you are interested to know more about studying in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
2. Part time work for International Students in the UK
International students can work up to 20 hours a week during the semester and up to 40 hours a week during semester breaks. Each university has a Career Centre that can assist you to look for a part-time job.
Students who work part-time are legally entitled to be treated the same as the full-time workers since they share the same rights. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the UK for a student aged between 18 and 20 is £6.15 per hour and for those 21 and over, the NMW is £7.70 per hour.
The ability to work part will allow students to earn some money to spend for their food, clothing, transportation or any other general expenses. It allows students to know what it’s like to be financially independent to a certain extent whilst also gaining industry knowledge and experience.
There are many job opportunities that are well suited for international students;
- Sales Assistant
- Pizza delivery driver
- Customer Assistant
- Waitress
- Receptionist
- Photographer
- Bookseller
- Babysitter
- Cashier
- Personal Tutor and many more.
If you are interested to know more about living in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
3. Cultural Diversity in the UK
The UK today is a richly diverse country because of the immigration that took place over the last fifty years or so. The UK governments have promoted and implemented policies to encourage people from different cultures to coexist and maintain social cohesiveness while combatting discrimination and inequality. As mentioned above, the UK is home to some of the world-class universities, therefore, welcomes over 400,000 international students annually.
Being around those from different cultures allows students to have a better understanding or perspective of the world we live in. It is a great opportunity to learn new languages and other skills.
As a result of the rich diverse culture, students will be able to explore a wealth of widely available cuisines. There are many other festivals and events which celebrate history, religions, music and sports.
An added advantage is that international students will never feel they are alone because they are constantly surrounded by those from different countries. So there are so many others in the same situation.
If you are interested to know more about living in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
4. Two-Year Work Visa
The UK job market is continuously flourishing. The market attracts individuals from all over the world. London especially is a magnet for international employees. Therefore, there are many employment opportunities for international students who aim to follow a long term career path in England.
An added benefit is that currently, international students who complete a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree are allowed four months to look for work.
However, from 2020 onward, the restrictions on immigration policies are to be overturned. Therefore, international students will be offered two-year work visa after graduation. This will increase chances of finding long term employment opportunities.
If you would like to know more about living in the UK, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
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About Post Author
Yellani Rasaputhra
I am a student from Monash University, Malaysia. Currently studying Bachelor of Business and Commerce majoring in International Business and Marketing. I like to spend my time painting and swimming.